


Chosen

by SXM132



Category: Final Fantasy XIII
Genre: Episode Zero, F/F, Fanille, Pre-Canon
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-09
Updated: 2018-05-09
Packaged: 2019-05-03 19:24:56
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,350
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14575941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SXM132/pseuds/SXM132
Summary: Vanille intercepts Fang when she and her hunting party arrive at Oerba. Written for the Fanille Week prompt "Breaking the News".





	Chosen

Fang was tired. Her boots were coated in a fine layer of dust kicked up from the road as the hunting party shuffled through the mountain path. A gorgonopsid hung around her shoulders, held by the legs, and the other hunters bore game of a similar nature. What couldn’t be carried was hauled onto a cart and pulled along by the party’s chocobo.

They were close enough to Oerba that Fang didn’t have to worry about their surroundings. Her mind wandered, thinking of the hot soak she desperately wanted at the bathhouse, the feeling of nice, warm sheets and a comfortable mattress, and - as her thoughts were apt to do - they continued on to Vanille; wondering what she’d been up to in her week’s absence.

It wouldn't be a mystery for much longer, she realized. As they rounded the bend in the stone channel she was surprised to see Vanille waiting just outside of the village entrance. The corners of her lips lifted as the younger woman bounded over to them. Vanille was friendly as always to the other hunters, greeting them with smiles and kind words, but Fang could detect a subtle edge in her body language. Her smile fell a bit cautiously as Vanille touched her bicep and looked over to the chief.

“Can I borrow this one from you?” she chirped good-humoredly.

The man chuckled in response. He looked to Fang and nodded, his expression almost paternal in nature. “Don’t be out for long. There’s still work to do.”

“There’s always work to do,” Fang shot back, more in jest than anything. Walking over to the cart she dropped her burden on top of it, catching the look the chocobo gave her as she did so. She pet its head, deciding to get on its good side again with some extra gysahl greens at supper. 

When she was finished Vanille took her hand, tightly, and pulled her away from the path; off to their favorite field, where they snuck off to when they were still small, and Fang would whittle spears while Vanille braided flowers into her hair. Where they would retreat when they were much older, and they would indulge in the privacy that Oerba did not afford its young lovers.

Vanille stopped in the middle of the field, her shoulders rolling as she breathed in the fragrant, earthy air. “It’s so nice here.” She didn’t turn to look at Fang just yet, but squeezed the hand that was still holding hers. “Are there places like this in the wild too?”

“Sometimes,” Fang answered. Her lips tugged again when Vanille finally turned, leaning close. She took both her hands now and swung them gently at their sides. 

“Will you take me there?”

Fang laughed. “When? Now? I just got back, Vanille.”

“But – I want to see it. I want to be there.” She gave the other woman her best enticing look. “Let’s run away.”

“From Oerba?” Fang wrinkled her nose. It was such an absurd idea that she thought Vanille must be joking. They loved their home; their family. Unless, something had occurred while she was gone. Suddenly serious, Fang searched Vanille’s eyes. “What happened?”

“Nothing happened, I just want to _go_ ,” Vanille whined. She stepped backwards and pulled Fang along by the hands. “They won’t miss us. I bet they won’t even notice we’re gone.”

She knew that wasn’t true. Fang was one of the village’s best hunters. And the children looked to Vanille like a surrogate mother. They were pillars of the community. Their presence was needed, and would be greatly missed. “Vanille,” she pressed, and her tone suggested the words she didn’t need to say.

The younger woman bowed her head, the harsh shadow of her bangs in the sunlight hiding her face. She stopped tugging on Fang’s hands, and in the absence of movement Fang pulled her forward and into her comforting embrace. “What’s gotten into you, missy?” She stroked the back of her head, and Vanille wrapped her arms around Fang’s torso. She clung to her tightly, as if she might disappear if she let go. 

For a while Vanille didn’t respond – simply tucked her face into the crook of Fang’s neck and let the other woman gently rock her from side to side. Before she could get out what she needed to say, the deep drone of a horn sounded off in the distance. It was used to signal town meetings in the village square. Confused by the impromptu gathering, Fang made to pull away. Vanille wouldn’t let her.

Instead she held on tighter, ringlets of hair tickling Fang’s jaw as she shook her head. “I don’t want you to go,” Vanille told her, in a voice that was high and laden with sadness. Fang tensed slightly, wondering what exactly she meant. After a pregnant pause Vanille was able to pull herself back enough to look into Fang's eyes. Her own were glossy, frightened, and she refused to break contact as she fumbled messily through her words. “Fang. The priests … t-they … you …”

Piecing together what she was trying to say Fang stared back at her, half in disbelief. “… The priests are here. For me.”

Vanille’s knees gave out at the finality of those words and Fang’s reflexes acted quickly, holding her close and lowering them both down to sit on the grass. She stared at the ground blankly, processing. “Me. I’m going to be a l’Cie.” 

Since she’d become a hunter, Fang had worked endlessly to keep Oerba fed and protected. Now a fal’Cie she couldn’t even stand wanted her for some godforsaken focus. It wanted to take her from Oerba; from Vanille. What itch did Anima need her to scratch that was even remotely worth that cost? Disposing of pests on the Steppe? Slaying Cie’th that Anima itself was responsible for? She could feel rage begin to boil within her. It wasn’t fair.

The horn sounded again, and Vanille trembled in her arms. For now, Fang suppressed that anger. Pulling back slightly she reached for the younger woman’s chin, tilting it up to look at her. “Hey now. No more tears,” she said, and whisked her thumb over her damp cheek. 

“So you’ll come with me?” Vanille asked in a small, hopeful voice. “We can run away?”

“No,” Fang answered flatly. “If I don’t go with them they’ll only punish Oerba for it.” 

Vanille looked away, her gaze darting around as she thought. The silent, rapid heaving of her chest told of her distress. Seeming to have made up her mind, she focused her bright eyes on Fang again. They were filled with a sort of resolution that the hunter seldom saw in her outwardly. “Then I’m going with you. To the temple.”

Fang opened her mouth to respond, but closed it. There was no arguing with Vanille on this one. Even if the girl stood little chance of convincing the priests to spare her, she would still try her damnedest to. She couldn’t blame her for that. “Alright. We’ll go together.”

In the distance the horn rung out for a third time. Someone in town was getting impatient. Ignoring it for just a while more, Fang took advantage of their solitude to lean down and give her the long, heartfelt kiss hello that was already well overdue. Vanille let out a quiet sob into it, mistaking it for goodbye, and responded by pressing herself more ardently into the kiss. Her hands cupped Fang’s jaw, keeping her there firmly until they parted.

“Don’t you worry,” Fang assured her. “Everything’ll be just fine. Trust me.” It felt like a lie. She hoped it wasn’t. Taking Vanille’s hands she helped pull her to her feet, all the while giving her the most reassuring smile she could manage under the circumstances. “Now let’s see what those wrinkly old bastards in town want.”

Vanille nodded mutely, still clasping one of Fang’s hands as the older woman led her out of the meadow. She thought about what she would say to Anima. Her other hand clenched in a white-knuckled fist, Fang did the same.


End file.
